A trail leads into the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve in Ivins, Utah, Aug. 23, 2016 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — With a goal of removing everything from graffiti to trash, Washington County and its partners will host a public lands cleanup of Pioneer Park and the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Update Feb. 23, 3:40 p.m. Due to inclement weather, the Saturday cleanup effort at Pioneer Park and the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve has been postponed. No new date or time has been announced yet.

Participants are encouraged to meet near the pavilion at the middle entrance to Pioneer Park in downtown St. George to sign release waivers and receive supplies and instructions. Volunteers will also be invited to join the “Give Your Land a Hand” mailing list, named after the countywide campaign launched in November 2016.

Pioneer Park is a popular spot for locals, as well as tourists from across the country and the world. Heavy visitation means that this community park could use a little help with “spring cleaning,” just in time for the arrival of spring break visitors and the emergence of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise from their winter sleep.

The county is asking for the public’s assistance with erasing graffiti and removing trash in Pioneer Park and along the T-Bone and Pioneer Rim trails in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

The Washington County “Give Your Land a Hand” Public Lands Clean-Up committee will provide trash bags and other supplies. Participants are asked to bring their own gloves, water and snacks for the event and to wear protective clothing like boots, hats, long-sleeve shirts and long pants.

3 Comments

This is an excellent reason to stop the idea of a Northern Corridor that would go through the heart of the NCA/Reserve. If people are already creating trash/graffiti problems in the readily accessible areas, why would opening up more area for them be a good idea? The road would not solve our transportation problems but would add NCA/Reserve management problems. Also, the biggest cause of fires in the area is from human activities. A lot of fires come from I-15 activities. Adding a road through the NCA/Reserve will not be a positive for this county’s residents and taxpayers.